Brooklyn Nets: Caris LeVert Developing Nicely in Rookie Season
By Nick Ziegler
The Brooklyn Nets have had a rough season. However, rookie Caris LeVert is becoming a bright spot this season.
With the worst record in the NBA, the Brooklyn Nets are obviously going nowhere this season. With a lot of games left to play, the goal is going to be to develop young talent. One of those players is swingman Caris LeVert.
LeVert was drafted by the Nets with the 20th overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. Despite injury concerns, the Nets took a shot on LeVert in the first round, and so far it looks like a promising move.
Due to his foot injury, LeVert didn’t make his pro debut until December 7th. It is never easy for a rookie to start during the season, but LeVert has started to find his groove. In January, LeVert has averaged 21.8 minutes, 8.6 points, and 2.3 rebounds per game. His play of late has really impressed head coach Kenny Atkinson.
“Every little bit you give him, he keeps on biting it off. It’s like, ‘OK, what’s next?’ ” Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said to Howie Kussoy of the New York Post. “He’s accelerating his own growth. That’s the bottom line. … It’s still early in the process where he is. I’d really love for it to be gradual. That’s best for his development, but then again you never know. Some guys, they keep breaking through barriers, so it’d be wonderful if he’s one of those guys. “He’s making a case for more minutes and more of a role, and that’s just the honest truth. That’s what we’re all seeing when we watch these games.”
One of LeVert’s weaknesses in college was his play on defense. He credits coming off the bench in limited minutes to helping him improve on the defensive end of the court in the NBA.
“At Michigan, my defense was kind of up and down because I played a lot of minutes and I was kind of scared to foul,” LeVert said to Kussoy. “Here, I’m allowed to play more freely on defense because I’m not asked to play as many minutes. … I’ve always felt like I’ve had the tools to be a good defender — long and quick, still working on my strength — I feel like I’ve had the tools, I just have to go out there and do it. “Our job is to go in there, give as much energy as possible for the four to six minutes that we’re in there. Come out, get a rest and do it again.”
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As the season goes on, the Nets will likely be getting LeVert some more playing time. Hopefully, his defense isn’t affected because of added minutes. At 6’7” LeVert has the ability to be an excellent defender with his length on the wing. With not much to play for, the Nets will continue to try to develop LeVert as a two-way player in the NBA to hopefully be a building block for the future.